Last year, A to Z Sports writer Wendell Ferreira put out a list of the top 25 head coaching candidates for teams that will eventually be looking to replace their own. And as if by serendipity, Wendell released a new list for this season this week as the Jets fired their head coach, Robert Saleh.

Now that we are a day removed from the initial shock of the firing, I decided to take a look at Wendell’s list to see who the Jets might target this offseason.

Let’s get into it. (italics are excerpts from Wendell's article)

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The Long Shots

1. Bill Belichick, Unemployed

It's not always that one of the greatest coaches of all times becomes available, but Belichick didn't get another job in 2024 after parting ways with the Patriots. The Atlanta Falcons interviewed him, but they went in another direction. After a season in the media, Belichick will try to get back to the NFL for his third HC job — with the main goal to surpass Don Shula as the winningest head coach in history.

My take: There is no way in hell that Bill Belichick is going to coach the New York Jets. He has hated the organization since he resigned days after being named the head coach and spent the next two decades taking their lunch money. That being said, what has Bill Belichick shown without Tom Brady that makes you think he can still be a great coach? The Patriots were a dumpster fire his last few years at the helm. All respect to the man for being one of the greatest of all time, but his time has passed, and it would be nothing more than a back page stealer to bring him in if he wanted it.

2. Mike Vrabel, Cleveland Browns consultant

Vrabel's firing from the Tennessee Titans was the most surprising move of last offseason, even though there was decent reasoning behind it. Now, he is spending the season with the Browns as a consultant, and his CEO profile can bring appeal to franchises wanting a strong leader.

My take: This is exactly the type of coach the New York Jets need. He is a no-nonsense strong leader who demands accountability from his players. He has a vision for his team should operate and every decision he makes is to strengthen that vision. Pair him with a good OC who can fall in line with how he wants to run things and you will be in any game. That being said, he will likely have his choice of jobs this offseason and I just can’t see the team selling Vrabel on taking the reins. The Jets have a bleak future ahead with no quarterback of the future and the bill coming due for a lot of their young stars.

3. Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions OC

Johnson was the main name of our list last year, but he opted to stay with the Lions waiting for the perfect opportunity. The problem is that the Lions offense regressed a little bit to start the season, so he might have to make a quick decision to finally have a HC opportunity if he really wants one.

My take: Johnson, similar to Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell who the Jets aggressively pursued in the past, is not coaching for a title or a promotion. He is very happy and comfortable with where he is, and he isn’t going to take a head coaching just because it is a “promotion” if it isn’t exactly what he wants. There is no way the Jets job is exactly what an offensive coordinator wants.

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Head Coaching Experience Required

1. Steve Spagnuolo, Kansas City Chiefs DC

Spagnuolo might not want that hard to be a HC again after his tenure with the St. Louis Rams and considering he is 64 years old already. However, Spagnuolo has been one of the most important pieces of the Chiefs' dynasty, so he deserves to be here.

My take: Don’t look now, but the Kansas City Chiefs, with all their pomp and circumstance on offense with Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift’s man are a defensive team. And what’s more is that apart from Chris Jones, they are a team of relative unknowns. That is because of Spagnuolo. That being said, Spags had a run as head coach of the New York Giants and things did not go well. Some guys are fantastic coordinators and that’s okay. Spags might be one of those guys.

2. Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings DC

Flores had a controversial exit from the Dolphins, but his results with the Vikings are simply too good to pass up. Even without much talent, he created a unique and crazy defensive scheme. This year, with more talent, it became the best defense in football.

My take: Flores might be another guy who has the proverbial “coordinator face”. He has the Vikings defense playing at a high level right now and obviously knows how to coach a defense. But the fact that he sued the Dolphins owner and then quarterback Tua Tagovialoa had some harsh words about him recently, might keep the Jets away.

3. Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers OC

Smith had an up and down tenure with the Falcons, but he's been able to put together a decent performance even without great pieces. The Steelers offense isn't great, but it's well-designed and it's maximizing what Justin Fields can do.

My take: Oh, please no. The Jets tried to bring in Arthur Smith to oversee the offense over current OC Nathaniel Hackett, but he ultimately chose to go to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I’m not sure any offensive head coach outside of Adam Gase frustrated a fan base more than Smith did with the Atlanta Falcons. He was constantly trying to force square pegs in round holes and trying to out-think the room. This is a hard pass for me.

(You can repeat this response for Kliff Kingsbury and simply replace the relevant teams)

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Get Some New Blood in Here

1. Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens OC

Monken has been an offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers and Browns. With the Ravens since last season, he unlocked a new version of Lamar Jackson and of the Ravens offense, who leads the NFL in DVOA through five weeks.

My take: This is one of the routes I can see the Jets going if they decide to go with an offensive coach. Monken has the Ravens offense playing well despite a lack of weapons on the outside. If the Jets try and develop a young quarterback starting next year, Monken was the OC for the University of Georgia for three years so he has some experience in developing young guys.

2. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills OC

Brady was a scapegoat in Carolina, but his work with the Bills has rebuilt the value he has coming out of LSU. The balance between knowing what Josh Allen does well but implementing a sustainable rushing offense.

My take: Brady has been impressive in his career more times than not. He had a bad stint in Carolina, but who hasn’t. He has completely overhauled the Bills offense and did so taking over mid-season. This is a name I could get excited about if the Jets were able to bring him in while taking him away from their AFC East rival.

3. Klint Kubiak, New Orleans Saints OC

Talking about that coaching tree, Klint Kubiak is a former Kyle Shanahan assistant and has done a good job elevating an offense with a low ceiling in New Orleans. It's impossible to know if he will keep his early effectiveness throughout an entire season, but the early results are impressive.

My take: It would be hard to argue with the name value of Kubiak coming from the Shanahan tree. But even if his last name was Antoniou, you can’t argue with the early results in New Orleans. For the most part, Kubiak has the Saints playing well on offense despite the fact that it is essentially the same group as last year when the offense was considered stagnant. His pedigree along with his training in some of the best coaching systems in today’s NFL would make him a worthwhile hire.

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Please Make This an Easy Decision

1. Jeff Ulbrich, New York Jets Interim Head Coach

My take: While not on Wendell’s list, the Jets future head coach might be their current head coach. I wrote recently about Jeff Ulbrich and why I think he has the personality to succeed as the top man for the Jets. If he is able to take this team to the playoffs, something that none of the previous three head coaches have been able to do, then I think the job should be his. Now about that offensive coordinator position…

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The Jets might need to cast a wide net and bring in the perfect guy if he isn’t already in the building. The next head coach of the Jets will likely be tasked with doing something that hasn’t been done in decades: finding and developing a franchise quarterback.

Do yourself a favor and check out Wendell’s list for some other options.